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Story: Energy supply and use

Canola oil-powered 4WD

Canola oil-powered 4WD

Paul Henson, shown here in 2006 filling his 4WD vehicle, had driven 12,000 kilometres using canola oil and just a touch of diesel. A $1000 conversion kit and waste oil from a local restaurant got him fuel for 50 cents a litre that was far less polluting than fossil diesel or petrol. Commercially produced biodiesel can be made from milk, tallow or plants like canola. New Zealand-grown canola biodiesel produces 42% less greenhouse gas than that of fossil diesel. The energy content is similar: 1.08 kilograms of canola biodiesel has the same energy content as 1 kilogram of fossil diesel.

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New Zealand Herald

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by Paul Estcourt

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How to cite this page

Megan Cook, Energy supply and use – Renewable energy, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/24006/canola-oil-powered-4wd (accessed 11 June 2026).

Story by Megan Cook, published 12 April 2010.

Comments

Paul Henson
07 April 2014
I've now done 170,000 kms up to this date of April 2014, mainly (95%) on waste canola oil, at an average saving of $1 / litre (over diesel). I start up and shut down on diesel (to warm the radiator which heats the oil so it can combust, and to clear the injectors on shut-down). Savings over this time around $17,000. The cost of the install was in fact $2,000 but the canola cruiser has saved me $15,000. Consumption is around 10 km per litre.